I wanted to open a champagne last night to celebrate a year that I am very much looking forward to, so this is what happened [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Bought a bottle of 1979 Chaubaut Blanc de Blanc or something like that. Brought it home, and popped it in the fridge. Proceeded to make a Dinner of Lamb Shanks W/mint, Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley blah blah blah, Asparagus and roasted red potatoes. When it was almost done, Karen and I figured we would pop the Champagne and enjoy some before dinner and then finish the rest off around midnight. Unwrapped the foil, twisted off the wire junk, and promptly slid the cork out with no resistance [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/frown.gif[/img] Took a taste anyway......sherry. Put on some clothes and drove to the wine store down the street and switched it for a 1990 Dom Perignon. This was thankfully fairly cool already, so as soon as I got home, I undressed [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/redface.gif[/img], oops, not all the way.....yet!! Poured some for each of us and enjoyed this wine for the rest of the evening. Now, can someone tell me what I was drinking as far as the nuances and complexities? ....cause I have no idea how to describe it, other than it was really enjoyable and I would drink it again...although, at the price, it would have to be quite a special occasion [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

This was sent to me via e-mail from a nationally published wine scribe based in LA:

"Last night, I had three bottles of bubbly --the Taltarni (Brut Tache non vintage Rose Brut from Australia), a 1990 Dom Perignon (a friend's bottle -- I wouldn't buy it) and a Gloria Ferrer 1989 late disgorged something. The Taltarni was so far superior to the Dom it was amazing."

Roberto writes: <<<"Last night, I had three bottles of bubbly --the Taltarni (Brut Tache non vintage Rose Brut from Australia), a 1990 Dom Perignon (a friend's bottle -- I wouldn't buy it) and a Gloria Ferrer 1989 late disgorged something. The Taltarni was so far superior to the Dom it was amazing."

<<Taltarni is owned by the same crew as Clos du Val and should have the same distributor in any given market. I do believe we may have already sold every bottle brought to America though, whoops!

Ciao, Roberto>>

Roberto,

Why rave about a wine that is gone or cannot be found on the east coast? I know that I would like to try some of the things you rave.....and rave.....and rave about [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] but this is what gets frustrating to myself, and I bet others [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/frown.gif[/img] If had not posted about how to find the Taltarni, I might have gone out looking for it, only to get frustrated, discouraged, and in the end, most likely I would have not tried the next time on a wine you rave about. At least rave about it, and then tell "But you guys can't have any because I got it all and already sold it." [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/redface.gif[/img]

Now, go sit in the corner and think about this [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/frown.gif[/img]

Keep in mind that even sold out wines are sometimes floating around in the pipeline somewhere in NJ or NB, NV or MI. Every market doesn't sell out at the same speed.

Importers say a product is "sold out" when they don't have any more, even though their wholesalers may have hundreds of cases in their warehouses.

Wholesalers say a product is "sold out" when their warehouse no longer contains any...even if the stuff is floor stacked in retailers all over town, or still in the warehouse of the wholesalers in the next state over.

The retailer is "sold out" when he has no more, even if retailers in other states or even across town still have some.

Remember..."sold out" is a relative term...SOMEONE still has some, even if it's a collector...who might be willing to swap some.

And a rave review for the Taltarni bubbly (even if it is/was sold out)of today also serves as an alert to be on the lookout for the next release.

All wine reviews have value...like all those moldy old Bordeaux that get discussed on these boards...most of them are "sold out" and it doesn't stop anyone from waxing poetic about them

Yeah! What he said! Steve, at least 30% of the wines I see talked about on this board are effectively un-availlable unless you are on a mailing list or inherited your great uncles cellar. With any luck, the fact that one store sold 100 cases of an Australian Rose Brut in five weeks will encourage the winery to bring more,which they DO have down under.

Qwit yer b i t c h i n' and have a glass of something I can't get in LA, Roberto

I think from now on when a wine distributor comes in for dinner, I'm going to have the waitstaff tell him, after he's ordered, that the item he ordered is allocated to regular customers only...see if it gets his attention.